Mohawk Hall of Fame honours for 4 ex-Mountaineers

At a ceremony set for June 15 at the college’s Fennell Campus, golfer Pat Gavey, soccer goalkeeper Dennis Piccolotto, basketball player Tracy (Hynd) Hopkins, and volleyball player Mike Hecimovich, will be the newest Mountaineer legends to be enshrined.

Pat Gavey returned home to Mohawk College after turning down a lucrative scholarship to a U.S. school and Mohawk’s golf program was the benefactor of that decision. Gavey led the Mountaineers to a team gold medal in 1991 with an individual silver medal that same year. This added to his bronze medal in 1989 where he made a fantastic save on the final hole in regulation and persevered over a five man playoff for his Ontario College Athletic Association medal.

Dennis Piccolotto’s outstanding contribution as the goalie for Mohawk’s men’s soccer program was recognized on and off the field. Piccolotto shone as a member of the 1989 OCAA and Canadian College Athletic Association men’s soccer gold medal team. He allowed a meager two goals in league play and was named Top Keeper in the OCAA.

The following year, he was recognized as an OCAA All Star, Top Keeper again and a CCAA All Canadian as the Mountaineers won the provincial silver medal.

Piccolotto was named Mohawk College’s Outstanding Male Athlete of the year.

Tracy (Hynd) Hopkins was a reluctant superstar if ever there was one. While quiet and humble by nature, she spoke loudly with her athleticism, leading the women’s basketball team to an OCAA silver, bronze and finally a gold medal, in three consecutive years (1988 – 1990).

A natural scorer with blazing speed, Hopkins, was twice an OCAA First Team All Star (1989, 1990) and a CCAA All Canadian (1989) as she averaged over 17 points per game in her final two seasons. She led the Mountaineers to Ontario’s first ever CCAA women’s basketball medal (bronze) in 1990 and was twice named team MVP and was Outstanding Female Athlete of the year in 1989.

Mike Hecimovich powered Mohawk’s men’s volleyball team to amazing results during his career. Hecimovich began his string of successes as team MVP in 1980. For the next two seasons, the Mountaineers captured the OCAA gold medal led by his leadership and skill from the power position on the floor.

Mike was named Mohawk’s Outstanding Male Athlete in 1981 and an OCAA league All Star in 1982. The consummate team player, Hecimovich applied this team philosophy after his collegiate playing career ended by coaching the Mountaineers from 1982 – 1985.